Foldable end-frames for sectional scaffoldings



May 8, 1956 w. B. SHEARD I 4 2,744,794

FOLDABLE END-FRAMES FOR SECTIONAL SCAFFOLDINGS Filed Dec. 7, 1953 r 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR hi1 ATTORNEY May 8, 1956 w. B. SHEARD 2,744,794

FOLDABLE END-FRAMES FOR SECTIONAL SCAFFOLDINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Filed Dec. '7, 1953 INVENTOR 1 William By! J/zeam? his ATTORNEY United States PatentO FOLDABLE END-FRAMES FOR SECTIONAL SCAFFOLDINGS William Byl Sheard, Pleasantville, N'. Y., assignor to The Patent Scaffolding Co., Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 7, 1953, Serial No. 396,393

1 Claim. (Cl. 3042) This invention relates to end-frames for sectional scaffolding and has for its object to provide an end-frame whose parts may be collapsed when the same is not in use, so as to save space in the storage or in the transporting of said end-frames and to enable the same to pass through small manholes as in tanks, ships, boilers, furnaces, etc.

The invention consists of an improved end frame which has the usual top portions with strengthening braces and uprights with cross braces, but the uprights are provided with hinges to enable one part of the upright to be swung over to be parallel with the top frame, and the braces of the top frame to be swung over the folded upright.

By the means described a compact member is provided requiring a small area when not in use, while in storage, during transport or when being passed through manholes or small openings.

The invention will be further described and shown in the embodiments of the drawings, and finally set forth in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the improved end frame in full operative position;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same end frame, but in collapsed position;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the hinge part of the end frame;

Fig. 5 is a side view of hinge part of the end frame;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the lower hinge unit; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the improved end frame has a horizontal top bar 10, with a second top bar 11 spaced therefrom and parallel therewith, and with spaced braces 12 between said horizontals. The braces 12 may be changed to other designs, and they and the lower bar 11 could be omitted.

To the ends of said horizontals and 11, uprights 13 and 14 are secured by welding or the like, and while the heights of said uprights vary, they usually follow a standard height. Each upright has a hinge knuckle 15 of the same structure which is surrounded by a slidable sleeve 16 held in position against lowering by a pin 17. Each upright also has brace holding studs 18 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, usually two or three in number. Each upright has a small bracket 20, supporting a fastening bolt or stud 21 with a nut to enable the lower end of each of the two braces 22 and 23 to be fastened to the bracket and thus to the upright, since end backet is welded or otherwise secured to the upright. The other ends, i. e. the upper ends of the braces 22 and 23 overlap and are fastened to a bracket 24, placed in the medium of the bar 11, the upper ends of the braces 22 and 23 being smoothly fastened to the bracket 24 by a bolt and nut 25.

The studs 18, preferably screw threaded, are known and I 2,744,794 Patented May 8, 1956 known; they are usually shown in any patent for sectional scaffolding, and therefore not shown herein.

' The improved end frame is shown in front view in Fig. 1. When it is desired to callapse this end frame, the nut or bolt 25 is removed. The sleeve 16 is raised so as to move out of way for the operation of the hinge knuckle 15, and the lower part of the upright 13 is moved on its upper end hinge in a position at right angles to upper end of the upright. The brace 22 is then pivoted on studs or bolts 21 to a position substantially parallel with the upright 13; likewise the upright 14 is swung over, and the brace 23 swung over, all as shown in Fig. 2.

To braces 23 are welded plates 49 with hole 50 which, when braces are folded into position as shown in Fig. 2, will slip over stud or bolt 25. The nut is then replaced on stud or bolt 25 to hold both braces 23 and uprights 14 in the folded position, as shown in Fig. 2, thus simplifying the handling as it prevents braces 23 and uprights 14 from flopping around.

As seen in Fig. 3, the end frame in collapsed condition is very compact. There is only a 3 to 4 inclination to the line connecting the axes of the uprights 13 and 14.

Referring to Fig. 4, it may be seen that the upper and lower portions of the tubular uprights 13 and 14 are sleeved to a hinge member 30, having grooves 30a, to lighten the weight and facilitate its insertion into the tube, and has a pivot support 31, with an opening 32 therein, slightly off center. The top of each member 30 has two diametrically opposed shoulders 33, and the pivot sup port 31 extends downwardly to provide a shoulder 34, one at each end of the hinge member. Above the hinge member 30 and vertically aligned therewith is a like member, but in the opposite direction. The two hinge members 30 have their pivot support 31 facing each other, that is, they have their contact planes in one common plane and the openings of holes 32 registering with each other, so that a headed bolt 36, having its opposite end 37 welded or headed will act as a pivot to the two adjacent pivot members 31. (See Fig. 6.) The hinge members 30 are each secured to the interior of the ends of uprights, as by welding 41) or the like. Below the end of the lower upright 13 or 14 is a stop 17 in the form of a double headed bolt passing through tubular upright; its two ends forming a support for the sleeve 16 and limiting its downward movement, which the sleeve 16 takes, to cover this pivotal mechanism when released from the full line position in Fig. 4. The two joined parts of the upright 13 or 14 may be pivotally operated with respect to each other when said sleeve is raised. Then, when the parts of the upright 13 are again aligned, the sleeve 16 is lowered against the stop 17 to prevent the buckling of the upright 13.

In Fig. 8, a section taken on line 88 of Fig. 1 is shown. The tubular upright 13 has the bracket 20 secured thereto by welding 44 or the like. The bent overlapping end of the brace 22 has a hole in registration with a hole in the bracket 29. A bolt 45, having a fixed head 46, and screwthreads 47, engaged by a wing nut 48, serves to clamp said brace 22 to the bracket 20.

The length of the plug or hinge member 30 is about 2 to 4 times the diameter of the tubular bore of the upright.

The other surface of the plug 30 tapers a little but has a tight fit with the inner surface of the tubular bore of the upright.

The invention has been described in the light of the embodiments shown, but changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claim:

I claim:

In a foldable end frame for sectional scaffolds, said frame including a horizontal member, a first bracket depending from the median portion of said horizontal memher and having a bore, a first upright, a second upright, said uprights depending from and having their upper ends rigidly connected to the ends of said horizontal member, each of said uprights consisting of two hingedly connected sections, the length of the lower of said sections being less than the length of said horizontal member, adjustable locking means for retaining said sections of said uprights in axial alignment, a first diagonal brace having the lower extremity thereof hingedly attached to the lower section of said first upright, a second diagonal brace having the lower extremity thereof hingedly attached to the lower section of said second upright, said braces having bores in the upper extermities thereof registerable with said bore in said first bracket when said sections of said up rights are in axial alignment, and a locking device insertable into said bores of said first bracket and said braces for locking said end frame in erected position, in combination: a second bracket attached to and spaced at predetermined distance from the upper extremity of said first brace, and a third bracket attached to and spaced a predetermined distance from the upper extremity of said second brace, said second and said third bracket each having an opening registerable with said bore in said first bracket when said lower sections of said uprights are folded below said horizontal member, said locking device being insertable into said bore of said first bracket and said openings in said second and said third bracket for locking said end frame in collapsed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 927,713 Clausen July 13, 1909 1,766,085 Rumer June 24, 1930 2,293,489 Causey Aug. 18, 1942 2,467,688 Oertle et al. Apr. 19, 1949 2,593,386 Dirks Apr. 15, 1952 2,594,464 Loucks Apr. 29, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 284,333 Switzerland July 31, 1952 

